Elevator-hatchway guard



(No Model.)

N. K. SPRAGUE.

ELEVATOR HATCHWAY GUARD.

Patened Nov.

PETERS Fhowmnogramr. www". n.1;

UNiTn STATES NATHAN K. SPRAGUE, OFA MIVLFOR-D, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATOR-HATCHWAY GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,884, dated November 20, 1833. Application filed March 13,1BS3. (No model.)

.To all whom it mrtg/concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN K. Srnaeun, of Milford, in the county of W'orcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator- Hatchway Guards, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to mechanism operating the guards and gates to the hatchways of elevators from the movement of the elevator car or platform, substantially such as hereinafter described, which in one portion is attached to the elevator car or platform, or parts moving with it, and inthe other portion is 15 attached to the hatchway guard or gate, and,

as a whole, is constructed and arranged to secure the automatic lifting of said guard or gate, in the upward travel of the car or platform, as it approaches a door or landing, and to hold it so lifted while the car or platform remains at such landing or floor, but as the car passes upward or downward therefrom to release theV gate to drop or fall, and thus to close, and, in the travel of the car downward, also to pass by a closed gate or guard without effect thereon or interference with or injury to said mechanism.

In the accompanying plate of drawings, Figure l is a vertical section 5 Fig. 2, a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, similar to Fig. l, but only of portions of the parts shown in said figure; Fig. 3, a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, and on the same scale; Fig. 4, a view in detail, and Fig. 5, a section on 5 line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6,a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, on line 6 6, Fig. 2, Figs. 7 and S, detail sectional views, to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A is' the elevator-well. B B are tloois or landings ofthe building through which well A extends, and C is the elevator car or platform arranged to travel up and down through well A, all as usual.

I) is a guard or gate at one of the floors B, arranged, as usual, to slide up and down in vertical guide-grooves a of the vertical posts, and by being lifted to open, and by being low ered to close the hatchwayor well A at the door B.

Z is a lug or projection attac-hed to the gate D, and extending horizontally into the elevat-or-well A.

Eis a horizontal lever suspended upon a horizontal fulcrum-pin, c, between two bracket-arms, d d, secured to the upper beam, F, of 5 5 the elevator-car. The other end of this lever E is in position to impinge against the upper and lower edges, f g, of the lug Z1 on the gate as the elevator-car moves downward and upward through the well A, and thus the lever is swung in a vertical plane upon its fulcrumpin c, and in either direction of said swing the inner end, h, of the lever F pulls upon a spiral spring, G, (of which there are two,) attached at one end to the lever and at the other to one of the brackets d.

K K are rubber cushions on fulcrum-pin c, between each side of the lever E, and the inner faces of the brackets are for tightening these cushions against the lever, and thus securing a bind or hold upon the lever sufficient to prevent the lever turning from the weight of the gate or guard D, which is lifting in the travel of the elevator car or platform through the well. The fulcrunrpin has at one end aV head, Z, and at the other end a screw-nut, m, which being screwed up springs the brackets against the cushions and forces the cushions against the lever E. In. the travel of the elevatorcar upward, the lever E abuts against the under edge, g, of the lug b on the gate, and thus lifts the same until the gate has reached its highest position, when its further move ment is arrested by the upper ends, a, of its guide-grooves u.. Thelever then, on the continued movement of the car C, by yielding on its fulcrum-pin c, passes by the lug on the gate, which is left free to fall of its own weight. In the downward travel of the elevator-car, the lever abuts against the upper edge, j', of the lug b on the gate, and by yielding and swing ing on its fulcrum its outer end is placed so as to pass by said lug Z1, and all without effect upon the gate or injury to the lever. After either swing of the lever E, above described, the springs G (either one or the other, as the case may be) return the lever to its normal position. The lever on the car and the lug on the gate are relatively arranged so that the former will begin to act on the latter, and

IOS

thus to raise the gate as the car traveling upward approaches a landing, and by the time said car has reached the landing have the gate fully opened, and, if the car is to stop at such landing, hold the gate so opened While the car remains thereat.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the impinging end o of the lever E is shown as adapted to yield to its pressure upon the lug b of gate D, and thus prevent abrupt contact. This adaptation consists in pivoting the abutting portion p to the lever and connecting it by springs r to the lever, all as is plain. This construction of the abutting end of the lever, While advantageous7 is nevertheless not absolutely essential, as is obvious.

Figures 7 and 8 represent in detail section the lug b as arranged to yield to the movement of the lever as the elevator moves downward, the lug being secured to the gate or guardI by a hinge-joint, s, having a coiled spring, t, to holdthe lug to its normalvposition, as shown in Fig. 7, its lend a abutting against the gate D. The lever striking the upper edge ofthe lug, in the movement of the car downward, swings the lug on its pivot against its spring, as shown in Fig. 8, which spring, after the lever has passed beyond and below the lug, Will by its reaction return the lug to its normal position.

desired, tothus assist the lever E in raising it 5 also, the cushion K can be of any suitable ma.-

terialdesircd, although rubber is preferable l on account of its extreme elasticity. The

The gate or guardl D can be balanced by a weight or Weights, if

'as and for the purpose specified.

3. The lever E, ksprings G, brackets d d, cushions K K, headed fulerum-pin c, and screw-nut m, carried by the car or platform,

in combination with the lug b on hatehway gate or guard D, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4. The lever E, springs G, brackets d, cush,L ions K K, carried.- by the car or platform, in combination with a lug, b, connected to the hatchway gate or guard D by a spring-joint, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The lever E, springs G, brackets d d, cushions K K, abutting portion p, pivoted to said lever, and springs r, carried by the car or platform, in combination with a lug, b, onAv hatchway gate or guard D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses,

NATHAN K. SPRAGUE.

Vi tnesses:

EDWIN XV. BROWN, W'. S. BELLoWs. 

